Engineering Manager

About the role

You will manage and elevate the capabilities of Tech Leads, guiding their professional development and technical growth through both theoretical coaching and hands-on field support. You will ensure robust technical delivery by challenging project architecture decisions, wisely arbitrating trade-offs between quality, cost, design-to-cost, and timelines, while securing optimal team staffing from project inception. You will champion a zero-defect quality strategy focused on stability, security, and velocity, supported by rigorous review practices akin to Dantotsu. You will oversee production robustness at scale, handling incident management, observability, security, and architectural resilience. You will actively contribute to business strategy by participating in high-level discussions with client DSIs, sponsors, and C-level stakeholders, crafting and presenting technical narratives for complex governance scenarios. You will identify strategic opportunities and act as a key driver of pre-sales initiatives alongside commercial teams. You will leverage the Theory of Constraints to facilitate continuous improvement, running targeted kaizen sessions to elevate team and project performance continuously. This role thrives on the constant variety of data platforms, generative AI applications, production systems, and innovative integration challenges.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Orchestrate the technical management and career progression of multiple Tech Leads, translating Theodo's engineering culture into tangible skill development and motivation.
• Arbitrate critical technical decisions for large-scale data and AI projects, balancing competing priorities such as quality, budget, deadlines, and long-term maintainability.
• Define and enforce an uncompromising quality framework centered on stability, security, and performance, ensuring architecture is designed for scale and resilience.
• Guarantee the technical viability of project staffing by identifying and aligning the right mix of engineering talent from the earliest stages of project setup.
• Act as a strategic partner in pre-sales activities, constructing persuasive technical narratives and justifications for complex governance committees and executive sponsors.
• Drive operational excellence in production environments by mastering incident response, system observability, security protocols, and scalability constraints.
• Leverage deep expertise in data architecture and generative AI to guide the delivery of high-value platforms, real-time processing pipelines, and intelligent applications.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement by facilitating kaizen workshops and applying the Theory of Constraints to remove bottlenecks and enhance flow.
• Navigate a wide spectrum of technological contexts, from legacy modernization to cutting-edge generative AI, ensuring the right solution for each specific client need.
• Communicate effectively with C-level executives and DSI leaders, translating complex technical topics into clear strategic insights and opportunities.
• Collaborate closely with Sales teams to identify new opportunities, shape innovative offerings, and validate solution feasibility during discovery phases.
• Mentor engineers beyond the code level, focusing on architectural thinking, system design, and pragmatic delivery under enterprise constraints.
• Ensure all technical deliverables meet Theodo's high standards for performance, reliability, and maintainability in production at scale.
• Act as a thought partner in the data and AI domain, keeping abreast of industry trends and translating them into actionable strategies for client success.

Requirements

You must possess a minimum of 8 years of professional experience, with a proven track record in managing technical teams and delivering complex software products. You must be based in the Paris region with a majority presence at the office, as this is a strategic and managerial position requiring close collaboration. You must demonstrate an intense desire to improve, a curiosity for Lean management methodologies, and an affinity for a fast-paced startup environment that evolves rapidly. You must have solid technological expertise that commands respect and credibility from engineering teams, even if your daily focus is not on writing code. You must be an expert in technical architecture best practices, capable of designing scalable systems and making high-stakes technical decisions in complex enterprise contexts. You must have the ability to unblock Tech Leads and solve high-impact, cross-functional problems that affect multiple teams and systems. You must master the conditions required for running production systems at scale, including incident response, observability, security, and scalability. You must have a strong appetite for generative AI, including familiarity with AI assistant tools beyond GitHub Copilot and a high-level understanding of Large Language Models. You must exhibit strong leadership with a pedagogical mindset, inspiring and guiding demanding, high-performing teams toward ambitious goals. You must maintain rigorous standards for technical quality and execution excellence in every initiative you drive. You must communicate effectively and build trust with stakeholders at all levels, from individual contributors to senior executives.

Nice to have

Only items explicitly stated in the SOURCE are considered preferred, and there are no additional preferred qualifications beyond those listed in the Requirements section.

Practical notes

The role is full-time, office-based in Paris with majority presence required. This position does not involve international travel or visa sponsorship. Applicants must meet the hard requirements without exception, and the selection process will prioritize candidates who align closely with Theodo's engineering culture and values.